He was distantly related to the authors Henry and Sarah Fielding, and was the nephew of the naturalist William Gould.

He then spent four years on half-pay, before being promoted to post-captain on 23 March 1789, and assigned to the command of the frigate HMS Brune.

[2] He sailed to the West Indies Station aboard her, but by 1794, he was in the Mediterranean, in command of HMS Cyclops at the reduction of Corsica, and then HMS Bedford at the Naval Battle of Genoa in March 1795, and the Naval Battle of Hyères Islands in July 1795, as part of Vice-Admiral William Hotham's fleet.

Gould took command of HMS Audacious in 1796, and was present at Admiral John Jervis's attack on Cádiz.

On 1 August, Gould commanded Audacious at the Battle of the Nile, engaging the French ship Conquérant and helped to force her surrender.

In spring 1801, Gould was appointed to command HMS Majestic, serving in British waters, and in the West Indies.